A view of the right side of Bronkies crag from across the river. == Getting there == From JHB: * Either take the N1 north and then the N4 east (Witbank). Take the Bronkhorstspruit off ramp (R25). Turn right to go south towards the R25. At the T-junction turn left onto the R25 towards Bronkhorstspruit. Then shortly thereafter, at the R42 junction to Delmas, turn right. After 3,8km at the crest of a hill the gate to the farm will be on the right (sign for Department of water affairs and forestry - this is +- 500m further than where it used to be in the past). Turn right onto the dirt road. Due to the road works there are more than one parking area in use. * Or take the N12 east (Witbank). Turn off at the Delmas, Bronkhorstspruit off ramp (R42). Turn left and continue on for about 25Km passing the Bronkhorstspruit dam on the left. Before the crest of a hill the gate to the farm will be on the left (sign for Department of water affairs and forestry - this is +- 500m before the old turnoff). Turn left onto the dirt road. Due to the road works there are more than one parking area in use. (Original directions courtesy of climb za) == Access rules and arrangements == The crag and parking etc. is private property and the owners right of admission is reserved. The Mountain Club of South Africa has come to an agreement for access to this area for its members. Any individual making use of this access arrangement agrees to the conditions stated below. Contact the Magaliesberg (Pretoria) or Johannesburg sections of the Mountain Club of South Africa in case of any query or doubt. Entrance fees are as follows: * R20 for adults * R10 for school going children above 12 years old * R5 for children 12 years of age and below Please pay the entrance fee and sign the visitors book upon entrance. Someone will come out with the visitors book, otherwise the book can be found at the main house. Please note: * Individuals enter this area at their own risk. Climbing is consider a high risk activity and can result in serious injury or even death. The owners and / or the Mountain Club of South Africa take no responsibility for any harm or death that results from individuals accessing and using this property and fixed climbing protection including damage or loss to private property due to theft, fire or any other cause whatsoever * You are responsible and accountable for your own safety and must not endanger those around you. Report any sign of danger or unusual wear on bolts To ensure continued access please keep to the following: * Visitors must sign the access book and pay the entrance fee before entering (the access book has the MCSA logo on the cover) * Do not drive off the established roads and park only at the upper or lower parking areas * Stay on established paths. Walk in single file on existing paths and avoid creating new paths * Visitors may only go the climbing area and the paths leading to it other areas remain private * No fishing is allowed – climbing only (you may lunch picnic at the river though) * NO FIRES are allowed * Reduce disturbance to animals specifically the Black Eagles and other nesting birds. Specifically no climbing and or bolting may take place near the Black Eagle nesting site (no bolting area details below) * NO OVERNIGHT CAMPING - Climbers are only permitted during daylight hours * Carry out all waste. This is a high use area, treat peels etc. as non-disposable rubbish. We request that you inspect the area for rubbish before leaving, do not ignore other people’s litter, pick it up and carry it out * Take extreme caution when smoking. PACK OUT CIGARETTE ENDS * Consider fellow climbers when relieving yourself and keep at least 50m away from the river, paths and climbing routes. Burry / carefully burn toilet paper * Respect other visitors * Do not throw or roll rocks off cliffs * No guns allowed * In case of any accident / emergency call MCSA Mountain Search and Rescue on 074 125 1385 or alternatively 074 163 3952 * Where applicable, assist and encourage others to adhere to the above == Route Info == Bronkies route names and gradings below, listed in order from right to left as you face the crag. Might be one or 2 other routes as well. Grades upgraded/downgraded according to the crag update in SA Mountain Sport, Issue No 27, Dec-Feb 2009 {| style="width:75%" border="1" cellpadding="2" !width="20"|Route Name !width="15"|Grade !width="15"|Bolts !width="15"|Height !width="35"|Notes |- |- |Tickled Pink ||13 * ||.||.||. |- |Ranger's Delight||14 ** ||.||.||. |- |Fragile Ego ||17 *** ||5D,A||.|| downgraded from 18 |- |Straight and Narrow||21 **||5D,A||.||. |- |Gert's Project||.||.||.||. |- |No More Freeloaders||15 ***||7D,A||.||. |- |Pumpkin Time||17||4D,A||.|| Bolts sponsored by the MCSA JHB/MAG Section |- |Modern Warfare||??||??||.|| ?? |- |Fully||12 **||.||.||. |- |Kief||11 **||7D,A||.||Beware of two large loose chockstone type rocks near the 4th bolt!!!! |- |Pumba's Delight||12 ||.||.||Upgraded from 8 (be fair to the new guys) |- |Maggies Nose||14 ||.||.||Upgraded from 7 (be fair to the new guys) - this route is not suitable for top roping due to excessive drag |- |Derek's Dilemma||20 ***||7D,A||.||Dilemma indeed, but fun once you work it out. Beware of loose flakey rock on right hand side between bolts 5 & 6. |- |Austin's Mojo||15 ***||7D,A||.||downgraded from 16 |- |Mini Me||17 ***||.||.||downgraded from 18 |- |Rastus||18 **||.||.||.Upgraded from 17 |- |Man's Best Friend||15 **||.||.||Trad. |- |The Fallen Boot||15 ***||.||.||. |- |Gunning for Crows||16 ***||.||.||downgraded from 17 |- |George's Bush||20 ***||9D,A||23m||Cool start, chains been lowered to better position to avoid rope damage. |- |Venus Fly Trap||18??||9D||.||New route, FA??BB?? |- |Kate's Moss||17 ***||6D,A||.||. |- |Tom's Cruise||16**||8D||.||FA/BB Guenther Bargon, Could be 17 |- |Joint Venture||22 ***||11D||.||. |- |Yellow Submarine||24 ***||.||20m || |- |After Burn||26 ****||.||.||. |- |Once there were warriors AKA You Snooze, You Lose||26 ****||.||.||. |- |Rat Kid||25 ****||.||.||Additional bolt added to avoid ground fall. |- |Black Pearl||28 ***||.||.||Starts with some technical face climbing up to a big roof where the fun begins! Bolted by Andreas Kiefer. First Ascent: David Wade. |- |Hairy Maclary (from Donaldson's Dairy)||19 ***||.||18m ||Upgraded from 18 |- |Mostly Harmless||21 ***||.||25m ||. |- |Elton's John||21 ****||13D||20m ||. |- |Blue Boots||14 **||.||15m ||. |- |Wild Apricot||15 ***||.||.||. |- |Naked Orange||21 ***||.||.||downgraded from 22 |- |Green Machine||18 ***||.||.||Grade adjusted from 19 |- |Footloose||25 *||5D ||.||Beware of the lead-out from the last hanger to the chains. |- |The Shining||25 **||6D ||.||. |- |Bruce||22 ||.||27m||Use a 60m rope for this one! Upgraded from 21 |- |Rule Number One||22 ***||.||.||. |- |Wasabi||23 ***||12D||.|| * Previously mis-labeled as being run-out. Some of the bolts are hard to see from the ground, but there are no run-outs. |- |Of Mice and Men (2 pitch)||22 ***||P1 - 7B+A, P2 - 5B+A||30m||Can be climbed in one long pitch if you un-clip the first set of anchors after clipping the next bolt, so long as you clean the route in separate pitches |- |New Year's Revolution||23 ***||9D||.||Finish on the same chains as Of Mice and Men. For sure a full grade harder than OMAM. Due to broken foot grip a chain has been added to the second bolt to make it a bit easier to clip. Please do NOT remove this chain. |- |Fire Fly||24 ***||.||.||An extra bolt has been added to avoid a ground fall. Stiff for 23? |- |Keep Walking Johnny||27 ***||.||.||Upgraded on consensus, see forum. |- |Black Out||27 *****||.||.||. |- |Blue Suede Shoes||21 ****||.||.||Classic climb! |- |The Silence Of The Lambs||25 ***||.||.||Climb the technical slab up to the ledge. Some interesting moves getting to and going through the roof. BB and FA: David Wade. |- ! colspan="5" style="background:yellow;"|Start "No bolting" line - Eagle nest |- ! colspan="5" align="Left"| A no-bolting policy is in place in the area either side of the Verreaux's Eagles (a.k.a. Black Eagles) nest. Queries on the no-Bolting area can be directed to the MCSA Johannesburg Portfolio member for Bolting. Eagle update from: Walter Neser (14 October 2010): "We are in the final stages of securing funding to release a black eagle chick back into the area next winter. We will also do a few repairs to the fallen nest to help encourage the return of the birds to the area, and avoid it falling again. This work will be done in the non breeding season to limit disturbance. We would appreciate any sightings of Black eagles in the area, and if at all posible, we would like to get hold of the person who reported the electrocution of the adult, as we have a relationship with eskom, and can have then do some mitigation to the structures in question, provided we have the needed details, of when where etc. Any help on these matters would be appreciated. Walter NESER, Vulpro, http://www.vultureconservation.co.za, email: wneser at gmail dot com" Quote from Neil Smith: The disturbance levels will be a problem during the breeding season which is about April to August. The no go zone should therefore be implemented in that period. Outside of that there should be no problem. You will need to decide on the extent of the no go zone, but the general principle should be that the climbers are out of sight of the breeding birds and that noise should be kept to the minimum. It is also worthwhile telling you that it is a criminal offense to disturb the breeding of an indigenous bird. I hope that this is of some assistance. Regards, Neil Smith Manager Conservation Division Birdlife South Africa Tel: (0) 11 789 1122 Fax: 0866572891 Mobile (0) 82 859 3788" Eagle update (May 2011): Walter Neser had difficulties with the red tape and authorities and that he was not able to secure a chick for 2011 (the breeding season for black Eagles is already underway so it is too late already for 2011). He is still hopeful that a spare chick could be placed there in 2012 (it would then fledge at around Sept 2012). Some stats on the Black Eagles population status in the Magaliesberg and surrounds: indications are that of the 13 odd confirmed breeding pairs of Black Eagles in the Magaliesberg and immediate surrounds that was known to breed there in 1984 (David Allan) declined to just 2 in a 2004 study (Craig Whittington-Jones)- bottom line: there are very few left. The MCSA Magaliesberg Section has, via the Richard Watmough Memorial fund, commissioned an aerial survey (i.e. micro lights) of the Magaliesberg to confirm the population status of Black Eagles in the Magaliesberg area. The results are not yet available. |- ! colspan="5" style="background:yellow;"|End "No bolting" line - Eagle nest |- |Paranoia||23 ***||9D ||.||Upgraded from 22 |- |Devil's Concubine||22 ****||13D||.||Use first bolt of Devil's Disciple then go straight up and finish on last few bolts of Devil's Disciple |- |Devil's Disciple||21 ***||13D||.||. |- |Hello "Clarice"||22 *****||11D ||.||. |- |Stone Dogs||21 **||11D||.||Intense start, eases up after that. |- |The Dark Half||22 ***||6D ||.|| upgraded from 20 |- |Insomnia||24 ***||7D ||.||Try not to climb "Lamb to the Slaughter" but rather stay on the right of "Lamb to the Slaughter". |- |Lamb to the Slaughter||20 ***||11D ||.||. |- |Hannibal Lecter||23 ***||10D ||.||Top chains moved to avoid rope damage. Take care clipping second bolt. |- |Memoirs of a Belay Bunny||23 ***||.||.||. |- |If Women Were Gods||20 ****||14D||.||Cool! |- |Urban Raptors||24 ***||13D||.||. |- |Grim Reaper||20 ***||8D ||.||Top anchors are in an indent and therefore not visible from below. Upgraded from 19 |- |Rock Flower||16 **||10D||.||Grade adjusted from 17. |- |Squeaker||16 ***||.||.||Grade updated. Can be 17 if you climb the face on the left of the corner below the chains. |- |P.M.S.||20 ***||.||.||Unconventional climb, with interesting roof moves. |- |Devil's Advocate||26 ***||.||.||. |- |Devil's Advocate Direct(open project)||Takes the direct start of devil's advocate keeping just left of the bolts.Should be fairly hard.||.||.||.FA:Put your name here! |- |Ex Girlfriend's Crack||19 ***||.||.||For the trad kings and queens. |- |Angry Dragon||21||.||.|| |- |The Bat||24***||11D||.||BB: Daryll Margetts. FA: David Wade |- |Fruital Brute||20 ||.||.||Grovelly start, long run out to third bolt, potential for grounder. |}